Sunday, 08 January 2012
Nigel writes: I had a bit of a lie-in this morning, which meant that I didn't make it to Brookside in time for the 9.30 departure of today's all-day ride. In fact I didn't set off on my bike until about 10.30am, which allowed me just enough time to cycle directly to the morning coffee stop in Cambourne to catch up with the others.
So whilst the main group, led by Averil, took a roundabout route via Barton, Comberton, Toft, Longstowe, the Gransdens and Caxton, I took the direct route along the former A428. The weather was dull and overcast, with a slight westerly wind, and very mild. I arrived at Morrison's in Cambourne to find a large number of bikes parked outside, with some members in the supermarket cafe and others at
Greens Coffee & Co around the corner. There was just time for me to have a quick coffee in the supermarket cafe before we all set off north towards our lunch stop.
Normally about half the group returns home after coffee, but today almost everyone continued on to lunch, about 15 riders in total.
Averil's route took us north through Knapwell and Conningston to Fenstanton. We then joined the busy A1096 St Ives by-pass and the slightly less busy B1040 to the Raptor Foundation at Woodhurst where we stopped for lunch at the cafe there.
After lunch I separated from the main group. Averil led the group east through Bluntisham to Earith and then south through Willingham before joining the Busway Cycleway to Cambridge and finally stopping for afternoon tea at the Coton Garden Centre.
I took a slightly different route with David W. We headed west and south to Houghton where we followed the Thicket Path to St Ives. It remained cloudy all day but the sun appeared for brief periods and we also had a few short outbteaks of drizzle, though these never amounted to much.
At St Ives we joined the Busway Cycleway which we followed all the way to Oakington. There we turned off to ride through Dry Drayton and Madingley, arriving at Coton Garden Centre at about 4.45pm. There I found Averil and the remains of the day ride, plus Ian and a large contingent from the afternoon ride, making about 17 in all. It was nice to see several new faces on both rides today.
After tea we returned home to Cambridge via the coton path. I arrived home at about 4.40pm, having cycled 56 miles.
View this GPS track of Nigel's route on alarger map